I received a racist email last night from someone who, even though they had found it was untrue on Snopes, still added “I think it has a lot of truth in it and expresses the feeling of most Australians and until we get some politicians who have enough backbone to stand up and be counted it will go on as it is until we won’t recognise this country”.

Unfortunately there was very little truth in it, and a quick search of the internet would have shown that.

Unless more people check their facts before they forward inflammatory emails or share posts such as these, all it will do is fuel the fear and misunderstanding that allows racism to fester.

Before you reject or accept any comments sent to you, do your own research. You’ll be surprised at what you find.

The (Lack of) Truth In “A Great Perspective From A ‘New’ Australian – Nik Ziogopoulos”

Muslims DO NOT want their public holidays recognised in Australia. One cleric (Keysar Trad – a highly controversial figure that non-extremist Muslims disagree with) said in 2009 that Australia should recognise Muslim and ALL other faiths after the NSW Government passed a law stating that business owners could not force Christians to work on Christian holidays … nor should those businesses open on those days unless it is imperative for the community.

Do you agree with the NSW Government ruling? If your faith decrees that you should spend your Sabbath worshipping your god, then should you have the right to refuse work on that day?

I believe most people would side with the law.

But aren’t these the same people at the beach on Christmas Day when they should be in their church giving thanks?

So what of these two days the Muslims ask Australians to respect? One of them is coming October 26 this year (the date, like Easter, isn’t fixed). It’s called The Eid al-Adha.

This is a festival of peace, respect, giving and receiving, donating to the needy, as well as sharing and caring. Sound familiar?

It is a day family and friends get together and pray, eat and share gifts. Sound familiar?

The Jewish community of Australia celebrate their struggle for religious freedom with Hanukah – an eight day celebration where family and friends get together and pray, eat and share gifts. Sound familiar?

But why bring Judaism into it? Because the three religions are incredibly similar. They all believe in one god. They all believe that faith and good deeds will be rewarded with an afterlife. And both Islam and Christianity view Jesus Christ as a prophet (yes – he’s in both the Koran and the Bible).

Judaism believes Jesus was a false prophet, Christianity believes he died on the cross, and Islam believes he didn’t die but ascended to heaven on the cross.

So why aren’t these racist posts / emails aimed at the Jewish belief?

Is it because there is Halal food in SOME schools? The schools where there is a large Muslim population? In the region of Australia where there are McDonalds, Nandos and KFC restaurants that all sell Halal food?

Why would they do that? Because the local population buys it? Because it makes them money? Probably the same reason that Sanitarium tries to ensure as many of their foods are both Halal and Kosher – so they can sell to two of the major religious groups world-wide.

That’s right, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church-owned Sanitarium Foods makes a large portion of sales / profits from exports. And did you know this COMPANY doesn’t pay tax in Australia because of its religious status? Why not complain about that?

And the final racist slur of this misleading email: “they want to sing the National Anthem in Arabic”.

WHO IS THIS “THEY”?

Show me the news clipping, the website, the person who said it.

That’s right, you can’t. No one said it, because its not what they want. It, along with the other statements of “fact” in this email, are not true.

How To Combat Racism & Hatred in Social Media

Stop instantly believing the untrue racist emails and social media posts, and instead take a minute to confirm if they are true.

A minute doing an internet search confirming the information is untrue will pay years of dividends when the hatred and lies you were about to unwittingly believe and forward end up in your trash.

Even better, go and talk to a friendly neighbourhood member of an alternative faith. Guess what? They love their kids. They want a better tomorrow. Just like you.

Before you say “but they riot and kill people”, I’ll just point out “London Riots 2011″, “random violence on Australian streets enacted by *no religion specified* youth”, and “Kony – the militant who rapes and murders in the name of the Christian God”.

There are extremists, louts and criminals in every race, religion, nationality and creed.

Why aren’t Christians sending nasty emails saying we should throw out all the Christians because one slaughtered 92 innocents in Norway, or because a terrorist Christian group (the IRA) killed 29 and injured 220 in 1998’s Omagh bombing in Ireland, or because a Christian killed 168 (many children) and injured 680 in the Oklahoma City bombing?

Because people tend to turn a blind eye when atrocities are enacted by “your own kind”. Well, I hate to point this out to you, but we all have the same blood types. The same DNA.

Very , very true . There are Evil people in every race and country . Some races have more than their share. When the Zionists murder hundreds of thousands of innocent men , women and children and steal about 85 % to 90 % of Palestinian land , it is accepted as just and right . If the Zionists attack and try to sink an American Naval communications ship in broad daylight back in 1969 and murder 34 young Sailors and Marines and severely wound 171 , it is ignored by our politicians because it would be politically incorrect to criticize Israel . The world is full of psychopaths , sociopaths and Traitors . Check out :

Well written Stephen, I really appreciate you ‘telling how it is’ there is way too much hatred being portrayed in social media a little real understanding goes a long way!

MickRWC

I’m not sure of the veracity of Nik Ziogopoulos’s email, but it is a common train of thought among many Aussies. Why, because our Judeo-Christian heritage is under threat.
And yes we should be able to keep Christian holidays and if they want to have a holiday and go to the beach, mind your own business.
And no, Australia should not recognize Muslim holidays, not even two. We are not a Muslim nation, we are a Judeo Christian nation. That’s why when this boat load of Europeans came to Australia, they could fit in and assimilate, especially their children.
And the guy in Norway does not represent Christian values. Most non-Christians and all Christians know that. The only people who want to falsely uphold that as some kind of Christian terrorist episode are the unreasonable left. It’s a deceit and you are propagating it. Shame on you and boo to your poor and false argument.

Norris Terse

Look what gentle Jesus has to say in Luke 19:27.
“But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.”
A misquote perchance?

Big Picture

But Christians have evolved. Muslims are ruled by fanatics so great in numbers and power that the moderate muslims can not stand up to them. Islam is not a religion. it is a complete system of law, governance, racism, religious war, sexual discrimination, child abuse, ……

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